Son of a Prison Guard
by Bleach-ed-Na-tsu
Summary: Bermuda's only goal in life was to protect, which was why he allowed himself to become a Vindicare. When he found out that the young Lion of Vongola was breaking a most sacred Vongola law he was determined to get involved. But one young child charmed him with his determination. Bermuda never wanted a child, but he soon got one. When...Parental!Vindice! Full sum inside. Multishot.


**So...I know that the whole 'good Vindicare' has been done, but I kind of wanted to do my own version of it, because I am disturbed by what Bermuda actually looks like, and Tsuna has the power to make everyone his friend! So...enjoy XD**

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 **Summary:** Bermuda's only goal in life was to protect, which was why he allowed himself to become a Vindicare. When he found out that the young Lion of Vongola was breaking a most sacred- but most ignored- law that Vongola had he was determined to get involved. But one young child charmed him with his determination. Bermuda never wanted a child, but he soon got one, and when Tsunayoshi was threatened by the very people who brought him to Bermuda, well he and the entire Vindicare weren't going to take that lying down. Papa!Vindicare, ignores the latter chapters of Manga. Adult!Vindicare, Mature!Tsuna. AU.

* * *

Son of a Prison Guard.

* * *

Screams scorched through the air as the plagues of evil and good swept through the night, asserting their dominance and weaving nightmares and fears. However, they soon came upon their own nightmares and fears.

Blacker than fresh soot and stagnant filth, the men of Vindicare were quick to appear when it was revealed that the famiglia cowering at their feet did not take their warning seriously.

" **You have disregarded the law set upon you, and now you dare try to evade your punishment."** one of the cloaked men spoke in a drawling echo, frightening the already cowering men. Jaeger and Bermuda observed with a weary smile.

Bermuda watched on from behind two Vindicare, tired of the ire that followed him and his men. He was neither evil nor good, neither true nor false. He was...vindictive and had been since he was young. The fear that permeated the air when he and his guard arrived at the scene of a mafia crime was tiresome, and ever so debilitating. They gave their lives for these mafia men, to keep some sorrowful semblance of order in a grave world that would have otherwise perished to filth and taint. In return, Bermuda and his kin -men shining with a similar radiance of revenge and justice- only received hate and torment. They were screamed and scorned at. They were tearfully cursed, and never once had they been praised or thanked. Not once in...well, Bermuda lost count of the millennia it was now.

* * *

Bermuda's days usually consisted of messages and arrests. He warned, he detained, and sometimes he killed in the name of his justice; justice that the mafia once upheld for themselves. Yes, Bermuda and his men, whose souls were the chains that bound the criminals of the Mafia, were feared like no other.

But he and his men kept order. Someone had to be higher than the mafia men and women who stole and raped and killed, because otherwise innocents would not be spared.

The Vindice were those Gods, for they had no authority over the civilians –they had their own police for that– but the Mafia blood and brood were all subject to the Vindice Law.

That was how Bermuda liked it, but it was a lonely life.

It was an unusual alarm that arrived in a breeze of black air that day. Their portal system was one that couldn't quite be described. It was neither by shadow nor light that their messages were transmitted, and no flame of Dying Will or Night could interfere or break the transmission. It was as if, when anything that threatened the Mafia, Omérta, or the innocents of the Mafia, Bermuda was made aware of it. The man had no idea how it happened.

But from there he could send his men or set up the appropriate line of command to get the message dealt with, that was Bermuda's life as the Boss of Vindice. He rarely left the office, unless dire cases that the Boss' own words were required. Not that mere mafia men would know the difference between Bermuda and say Jaeger.

It was a strikingly bright flash of orange that assaulted Bermuda on the day everything changed. At first, he thought he was hallucinating, because that was the colour of a mafia boss in danger, and it had never affected Bermuda or his job before this day. It was intriguing that this happened, either Omérta had been broken, or something was about to threaten the very core of the mafia's future.

And so, Bermuda faded away –because if this was a call of a Sky, Bermuda needed to see it–with Jaeger melting to his side as they followed the orange to the boss that called. They arrived to the most peculiar scene.

A boy, who was tripping and sobbing, who was obviously the orange that cried out for help, sprinted by just as Bermuda and Jaeger materialised. Bermuda's night flame flashed in recognition of the signal. He was a child, barely old enough to be running by the look of it.

Bermuda thought that perhaps his signals were wrong, and that this child was not the calling sky, except he was not running from children and childhood phantoms.

Mafia men reeled around the corner, men that Bermuda knew. They were from a famiglia that crossed of Bovino and Estraneo, though really the best of them both, a famiglia of brilliant _humane_ men and women. So it was startling to see them so ferociously chasing after a mere child. As if they were their Estraneo brothers.

"Fuck. Boss isn't going to like this. Can't you idiots catch a child?"

"You aren't fucking catching him either!"

"Che. Just get him before the cops come looking. I can't be asked to explain to boss why cops had to die for this kind of mission."

Bermuda was intrigued by that alone, but as the child cried out, his night flame bucked, and Jaeger felt the repercussion.

" **Boss?"**

" **Come, Jaeger, we shall watch for a moment longer."**

The boy put up a rather good fight. He managed to avoid arms and legs and Tasers with eerie accuracy, but he would have surely been dead if the men had been aiming to kill, which they obviously weren't.

The boy, on the other hand, was terrified. He was calling and calling, crying out for anyone to help. Not only was he lost, but these men had been chasing him for so long. He had only walked down the street a little, looking for pretty flowers to give to his mama. He didn't mean to make them angry.

He was just glad that his _voice_ was directing him. But the boy was terrified, because the _voice_ told him that help was coming, and the little boy couldn't see anyone coming to help at all. He was getting tired now.

He had had this _voice_ for as long as he could remember. His mama liked to call it his imaginary friend, whatever that was, but the boy knew somewhere deep down that he had to trust and follow it. It usually kept him out of trouble, and when it couldn't, it helped him escape.

Now the boy wasn't sure whether to believe it or not. The men were still there, and the _voice_ was humming a tune merrily while the boy was still sobbing.

It wasn't that the boy tripped onto his face, whimpering in the way a cornered animal that knew their death was coming, that made Bermuda decide to act. No, it was when the boy was lifted by his throat and smacked against the wall that the Vindice officer stepped in.

He could see the sky flame that asked for protection.

He could see the forced will to live within the eyes of the child as he started to lose consciousness.

Bermuda had Jaeger and his men sweep in with a ruthlessly cold aura enveloping the men.

"It's the Vindice!"

"Impossible! No, I didn't sign up for this!"

The child made a huffed cry when he was dropped, but Bermuda and Jaeger ignored him for a moment as they applied their justice.

" **You have been caught breaking the law. Now you shall feel our justice."**

Just as his men had taken the hitmen away through the black portal, Bermuda felt a tug on his cloak. He was greeted with still teary brown eyes, however, they were devoid of the wilful orange and a small body covered with dirt and scuffed knees. Bermuda noticed blood trickling down the boy's left knee.

"Thank you, Mister, for saving me," he hiccupped, "I didn't think I'd be able to run away this time." After a pause, a strangely contemplative look appeared in his eyes, "They were really scary."

Bermuda was completely taken aback. He had moved before taking into consideration of what he was doing. Bermuda was fulfilling the duty bestowed upon him to keep the mafia in balance. If this child _was_ the one who was in danger, then he was going to make something great of himself one day. Bermuda could already see it.

After all, the child had _thanked_ him.

" **Child, what is your name, and why were those vile men with you?"**

Tsunayoshi quaked a little as the name rumbled over him. It was scratchy and unpleasant in that unfamiliar way, but he looked up into his saviour's eyes. They were a pretty green that made Tsuna feel comfortable. The _voice_ was humming with a pitched thrum that made Tsuna fill with a heat like when he escaped his bullies, and managed to hide in his closet when he was scared or lonely.

"Tsuna, Sawada Tsunayoshi." He smiled gently, a little shy now that everything calmed down, "Those men said something about taking me to a boss. I don't really know why."

Bermuda thought on that name. Something was desperately familiar about the way it sounded. He knew it was important. After all, the child was going to be a boss if his flames had anything to do with it.

The mafia never let Sky Flames go, even civilian ones.

" **Those men wanted to take you away. You were important to them. You have something they wanted. Do you know what that is?"**

Tsuna looked completely stunned, as if he couldn't possibly be important enough to cause such havoc. But then again, the men had mentioned something, and were very serious and angry about it when Tsuna didn't answer.

"My line. The men said they wanted my line and that Papa would give them all sorts to keep my line safe? Is that it?"

Bermuda and Jaeger –who had appeared once the criminals had been dealt with– stared at the boy blankly, trying to decipher his childish babble.

At least now they knew that the boy's _father_ was the one in the mafia, but that didn't make it much easier to figure out who he was, though at least now they could rule out the women.

" **Boy, how about you show us to your home while you explain this. I'm sure your caregiver is concerned."** Jaeger's voice was even more grating, causing Tsuna to flinch back slightly, shifting to hide behind Bermuda when he realised a new person had appeared.

" **Boy, this is my right-hand, Jaeger."**

Tsuna looked at Jaeger and blinked. His eyes were a pretty purple, an eye colour Tsuna had never seen before. "H-Hello, Yay-Yayger." Bermuda had to stifle the laughter. He had never heard his right-hand's name sound so benign. But then there was another tug at his cloak. "And you, Mister? Who are you?"

Bermuda stared. He had forgotten to introduce himself? Where had his manners gone? Then again, it had been many years since he had been given the opportunity to introduce himself. Those he met either already knew him, or were quivering messes of barely conscious flesh when he arrived. They were hardly worth introducing himself to.

" **I am sorry for my rudeness. I am Bermuda. It is nice to meet you, Tsunayoshi. Now, how about we do as Jaeger said and you show us where you live while you explain about this….line of yours."**

Unsure, Bermuda reached his hand out to the young child, and though slightly hesitant –these men were strangers, right? Even though they did save him– Tsuna grabbed a hold and smiled.

The emotions coming to light in Bermuda's chest at the insignificant gesture were ones he could not explain yet.

"Okay, Mr. Bermuda. It's this way."

Jaeger and Bermuda followed slowly as the child lead them through the houses, albeit with hesitation as he tried to remember his way home. He had run a long way, after all. The passerbys ignored the group, mostly because, as soon as Tsuna had clutched Bermuda's hand, he had become as invisible as the Vindicare were themselves.

" **So what line did these men want?"**

"I dunno." Tsuna explained, clutching Bermuda's hand for support. "They kept saying my line was worth more than anything Papa could possibly give them. But then the big guy said that they weren't _really_ going after my line yet."

Bermuda and Jaeger were thoroughly confused by all this. What line did this child mean? What use was it to men of the mafia? What had this unfortunate child's father gotten his brood into? Because surely the man had done something unforgivable to make the _Vindice_ come and save his child. That alone was a debt he would never repay, never mind his true crime.

" **What line, do you know?"**

"Nu-uh." Tsuna shrugged, "It was a something line, but I don't remember cause I didn't understand what they were saying."

Bermuda was so close to snapping at the child, but he knew it would do no good. This boy was still terrified, and Bermuda's selfish heart did not need this child to be afraid of him. He hadn't held a child in so many years.

Jaeger suddenly flickered in and out of existence, so fast that no one should have seen, and when he returned, Bermuda could see the foul airs around him.

"Mr. Yay-er! Are you alright? You fl-flicked."

Bermuda would have been amused by the little child's curious abilities to see them and their dark ways of travel if Jaeger were in a better mood.

Jaeger nodded to ensure the boy's heart was at ease before addressing his boss. **"My boys found out what those men were after."** His voice hissed. **"You're not going to like this, Sir."**

" **Speak, brother."** Bermuda was growing tired of this farce. He wanted to bring this boy home, settle him, and then punish the wrongdoing. Already his emotions were being thrown around by the strange mannerisms of the boy.

" **The** _ **line**_ **this child speaks of is** _ **Primo's**_ **line. They were aiming to bribe Vongola with this boy's safety, but some though just want to take him for his** _ **blood**_ **line as it would be more….profitable."**

Bermuda stopped, starting at his right hand and friend before spinning his gaze at Tsuna. He pulled to boy to look him in the eyes. He wouldn't know, but Tsuna saw the seriousness in them and something inside his chest –where all that heat and his _voice_ were found–clicked into place suddenly.

" **Boy, what is the name of your father?"**

Tsuna didn't pause and his voice took on a serious thread. "Iemitsu Sawada is my father."

" **I am going to murder that man."** Bermuda seethed. His hold on Tsuna's hand tightened just enough for Tsuna to grow uncomfortable with the contact, and he peered at the man who saved him with concern, though the voice in his chest soothed him with nonsensical purrs. The heat that sometimes came with the _voice_ flashed in that soothing warm way that told Tsuna he was safe.

Bermuda was unaware of the little stare. He was thinking of a hundred thousand ways to murder the Vongola runt. Most of the mafia were under the impression -no thanks to a certain masked man- that the Vindicare only bothered themselves with issues that directly concerned them and their power. Bermuda and the Vindicare were not really bothered about their power -if new individuals who were more worthy than them challenged their positions, Bermuda and all his guardians would gladly step down and retire. No, Bermuda was concerned with the mafia's balance of power and compassion. Anything threatening that balance made itself aware to Bermuda immediately, and he was obligated to change that threat. Make it disappear if necessary.

This balance of power and compassion kept the mafia running, and kept the innocents safe and happy. The balance wasn't of Vindicare power, or of Mafia authority, it was for the world to keep turning in that endless cycle of shadow and light.

While the Vongola hadn't broken a physical or official law, and Omérta was actually protected by keeping the boy unaware and out of the Mafia, what they had broken was a sacred rule of Vongola. One Bermuda had the honour of watching Primo swear to.

Family and famiglia were interconnected and none could come before the other, that was sacred to Vongola Primo, Giotto, and he had hoped that by making the law, his family would be upheld. It didn't stick though, as was apparent when he left the famiglia. Bermuda had no real authority to punish the current Vongola, or any of the predecessors because they were not technically Giotto's blood descendants and were therefore loop-holed from Giotto's law. Now Iemitsu and Vongola Timoteo had broken that law in a bid to keep the child happy and safe, the crime was non-negotiable.

It obviously wasn't the first time either. The boy child looked used to running from men like the ones who almost had him. He had said 'this time' anyway.

More than that though, more than simply breaking some familial tradition, Vongola overlooked their own precious heir. He had been left unaware and unprotected. Iemitsu and Vongola had risked the child that Bermuda was sure would save them all.

Bermuda was going to massacre Iemitsu.

Jaeger would watch his boss seethe, and even his own heart could feel turmoil over the truth of his boss' thoughts -as he and the other Vindicare were privy to them. But he would wonder _why_ either of them was getting so worked up by the child's predicament. It happened all over the world, in all famiglia. Besides that, it was such an old and forgotten law that the Vindicare could not or did not usually punish for it. The accused had to be aware of breaking the law to be punished.

Jaeger cast his eyes down, wondering what the child meant to the future, and to them, to bring up such prideful, uncontrolled emotions. He thought that they had cast those wishes aside years ago, upon signing the contract of Vindicare.

Tsuna had not awakened his hyper dying will or intuition yet. He was only six. However, Vongola blood was more powerful than anyone would ever be able to comprehend. He knew exactly what made his saviour so angry, and though he could fully understand why Bermuda felt that way, and though he couldn't feel completely horrified by the idea of his father being murdered, he was old enough to be loyal and loyal he was.

"Don't!" Tsuna suddenly screamed, ripping his hand away from Bermuda. "You won't touch my family!" He stood before Bermuda and Jaeger, arms wide and legs apart. Tsuna huffed with nervousness and adrenaline.

" **Why would you stop us?"** Bermuda hissed, his voice so icy with rage that Tsuna almost buckled. He didn't want the nice man who had saved him to be angry with him. **"Your father is the reason you were almost taken away. Those men would not have been nice. You would have been hurt over and over. Why save your father?"**

Tsuna quaked, and even Jaeger felt for the child. Bermuda had forgotten the boy's age and situation in his one-sighted justice.

"P-Papa d-does love me. He does. He didn't mean f-for me to get hurt."

" **And if he did? If he knew this would happen to you?"**

Tsuna was tearful now, but there was a blooding of orange in his irises as his core was forcefully ignited by his will, his _voice_ roaring and humming all at once. "He is my Papa, so it does not matter."

Bermuda, upon seeing the forceful orange and the sheer rigidity in Tsuna's ideal and will –his want to protect his family even when he had been wronged– calmed. He watched Tsuna fall backwards with the release of strain, and was thankful when Jaeger caught the boy.

" **You wish to protect your father?"** Tsuna nodded, quivering slightly.

"Are you mad at me, Mr. Bermuda?"

" **No, child."** Bermuda sighed after a moment, stroking Tsuna's hair. **"I am just…concerned for you."** Bermuda had to think about that, because something made him more furious at Iemitsu than an unbiased soul ever should. It was that concern for the little boy at his feet.

Tsuna, in that impossibly knowing way, smiled as Jaeger helped him stand, and then he looked around. "Come on, we're almost home. I want to show you to mama and tell her how you saved me! She'll say thank you, 'cause you're amazing, Mr. Jaeger, Mr. Bermuda."

Jaeger caught the boy before he ran off, **"Wait a moment, Child. We might frighten your mother to death should we turn up like this."**

"But…you're not scary?"

Bermuda and Jaeger looked caught for a moment before their voices began to rattle with pitched, hissed, and echoing laughter, laughter that didn't stop. Tsuna thought they were broken. "Misters!?"

" **Sorry, Boy, but we shall change, just in case."**

Tsuna still looked concerned even as he stepped back and let the men 'change'. Though he was worried, because Mama said you shouldn't change in 'public'.

"Wao." Tsuna stared as the strange black mist dissipated and revealed two very tall, lean men. Gone were the cloaks of shadows and the fur rimmed collars. The top hats and bandages had faded away as if they had been an illusion and the chains had travelled back around the prison officer's souls.

Both Bermuda and Jaeger looked like normal men, both were unnaturally pale, but a living flush dusted their cheeks and a healthy glow of living settled on them instead of the chocking oppression. They both wore expensive-looking, black suits. Their dress shirts were steely grey, though Jaegers was a purple-grey. They wore black ties and Tsuna caught the sight of a logo of chains and handcuffs with an inscription of 'Vindice' stitched onto the end of the ties before Jaeger and Bermuda buttoned their jackets.

Jaeger had longer, curly hair. It was pulled back into a pony tail with a few wavy strands framing his face. On his neck was one white bandage, but it was hidden well by his collar and tie.

Bermuda had shorter, straight, black hair. It was layered and fell into his face evenly. His face was less angular than Jaeger's, though his chin and jaw were sharp and matched with his right-hand. On his left cheek, he wore one wide, white bandage that met his ear and stopped just before his nose. They could have perhaps passed as brothers.

"You look so smart, Mr. Bermuda, Mr. Jaeger." Tsuna laughed, reaching to touch the suits and they felt just as warm as the cloaks they were wearing before.

Bermuda immediately smiled when he heard young Tsunayoshi's compliment. He usually felt so unnatural to be back in his human form. He was so used to being in his 'prison uniform' and had no reason to appear human. Reaching down, Bermuda offered his arms, and when Tsuna grabbed hold, he pulled the boy up to his chest. He felt even more comfortable.

"Shall we get you home, child?" Jaeger asked, coming over to ruffle the boy's hair with black-gloved hands. Gone was the suffocating voices that echoed with glimmering justice. Instead, there was a normal, though accented voice that rumbled with justice.

"Un, let's go home!" He grinned back. If he noticed the sudden change in these men's voices, he didn't mention it.

* * *

"Here's my house. You can knock first."

Bermuda humoured the child. Even though Tsuna continued to chatter on about this and that, and about the dog down the road and how he wasn't sure whether to like him or not, Bermuda was somewhat nervous about meeting this woman. Mothers could be very unpredictable when their brood was in trouble.

Jaeger found the nervousness hilarious, though he kept his laughter to himself after Bermuda glared when he let a chuckle slip out.

Tsuna went quiet just before the door opened and he clutched to Bermuda when a pretty, young brunette with long hair appeared. She had eyes like Tsunayoshi and Bermuda was happy to know that Tsuna took most of his colourings from his mother –which explained why Bermuda did not recognize the boy as Iemitsu's when they met– though he looked like his father's side of the family.

"Oh my."

"Good afternoon, Ma'am. It seems I have found your boy." Bermuda kept his voice low and polite, but Jaeger could hear the slight unease colouring the voice.

The little brunette woman who answered looked on in shock as she realised that her young boy was in the arms of a _very_ expensive looking man, and that another equally expensive looking man stood behind him.

"Tsuna!" the woman exclaimed, holding a hand to her mouth.

"Hi, Mama." the little boy giggled, hugging Bermuda a little to calm him. "I got lost and these misters found me!"

Bermuda raised an eyebrow as he felt the tightening limbs. The boy was so intuitive even if –Bermuda was sure- the boy hadn't awakened his flames.

"I'm so sorry for the trouble my little boy has caused you," Nana looked positively embarrassed. "Please, come inside. I just boiled the kettle."

Nana didn't really give Bermuda or Jaeger any choice, so with a quick exchange of glances they walked in. As Bermuda entered the house, he was a little wary of the fact that this house belonged to the Young Lion and that the boy he was holding was Young Lion's son, and if the man caught even the slightest hint in the wind that Bermuda had entered the premises or so much as breathed near Tsunayoshi, a new mafia war would break out. Bermuda –still holding a young Tsunayoshi in his arms- followed the young Nana through to the kitchen, where a new pot of tea had just been brewed.

"Please, take a seat..." Her face fell suddenly as she took in Bermuda's overly formal stature and a hand rose to her mouth, "Oh dear, I don't believe I caught you name...and I didn't even introduce myself!" She looked positively distraught, and if Bermuda were feeling any less stressed, he would have smiled a little.

"It's no problem, Ma'am. My name is Von Beilefedd Bermuda. It's nice to meet you, and this is my associate Von Houtten Jaeger." Bermuda bowed slightly. Tsuna giggled a little, watching the adults introduce each other.

"Ah, Beilefedd-san, Houtten-san. My name is Sawada Nana, but please call me Nana. Sawada just makes me feel old." She giggled and took a seat, Bermuda following her lead.

"Then please call me Bermuda and my partner Jaeger, we are not used to the Japanese customs."

Tsuna was set onto the ground. Though he pouted, he ran off quickly. Bermuda's eyes unintentionally followed him as he went.

Nana watched the man –who was rather handsome in that foreign way– as he followed her son with his eyes. She couldn't help but smile. She was worried when these official looking men turned up at her door with her baby in their arms. What on earth could her Tsu-kun have done? But, Tsuna had always been a very good judge of character once he got over his shyness. So these men couldn't be so bad.

"Thank you again, Bermuda-san, Jaeger-san, for taking care of my boy. He can be so careless." Nana chuckled.

Bermuda and Jaeger didn't know how to feel about that. The boy had been anything but careless when he was escaping those men. He would become even greater once his core fully awakened. Part of their cores started moving to protect the boy. He didn't need either parent if they were to be so careless and off-handed with remarks.

"It really was no problem, Ma'am. The boy really is a delight. We had some rather interesting conversations with him while we were bringing him home." Jaeger supplied.

"Oh my, Tsu-kun really does have quite the imagination, doesn't he?" Nana replied, looking embarrassed.

"He is a good boy." Bermuda replied, smiling despite himself. "He must take after his mother, no?"

Nana looked flustered, but Bermuda and Jaeger did not care to notice. They were looking for information.

"Oh my. Flattery will get you nowhere. Tsu-kun takes after me, yes. But he is the image of his father, or he will be once he gets over his silly little habits."

Jaeger mused on this. Tsunayoshi's eccentricities were not solely when no one was looking then. "His father must be proud. I suppose we just missed him?"

"Oh no." Nana chuckled, "Iemitsu works away from home, so I'd be more surprised if you didn't miss him." She chuckled good-naturedly, and neither Bermuda nor Jaeger could tell if she was or wasn't concerned by her wayward husband.

"I see. Well, it's a shame the boy's father isn't here more often. He is missing out on a delight." Jaeger wasn't afraid of embellishment or of hurting a woman. He wanted information about Iemitsu and about the boy who had quickly made himself known in their cores.

"Ah..." Nana looked ashamed. She looked into her tea with a frown. Bermuda frowned slightly. It wasn't his favourite way of getting information, but whatever works. "Tsuna is a strong boy. He'll do fine without a constant figure, I think. But Iemitsu is working hard to keep us in this lovely neighbourhood and so, we never have to worry about money. So I can't expect too much of him."

It didn't sound like Nana was trying to convince them at all.

"Such a shame." Bermuda muttered, thinking about the delightful boy who thanked him and wasn't afraid to be held by the blackest of the mafia.

They stayed and talked to Nana for a while longer. The woman obviously enjoyed it, though Jaeger and Bermuda felt very out of sorts. They were not so comfortable speaking so casually and for so long.

So while they had the chance, as Nana was about to get up to make another pot of tea, they made their quick albeit polite escape. Jaeger and Bermuda stood to leave, nodding to Nana and thanking her for the tea when suddenly their knees were assaulted.

"Bermuda and Jaeger are leaving?" Tsuna had tears on his lashes, and both the Vindice could not figure out what to do or say. "Why not stay?"

"Now, Tsu-kun, these men must be very busy. Look at how important they look. They can't stay with you all the time." Nana reprimanded. "Now, thank them for looking after you."

"Thank you, Bermuda, Jaeger. Come again?"

"Oh, I don't know, Boy…"

"We couldn't impose." Bermuda said this with no conviction. They planned to drop by many times, even if only within Tsuna's perception and presence.

"Oh don't be silly!" Nana exclaimed, suddenly happy again. "You saved my dear Tsu-kun and he has really taken a shine to you. So please, feel free to drop by anytime."

And they would do just that. With a smile and a nod, the men left, the image of Tsuna waving sadly to them imprinted in their minds.

They had found a very interesting sky. They would not sit back and let the Young Lion of Vongola taint him before he could make a change.

* * *

It was strange how easily Bermuda and Jaeger filtered themselves into Tsuna and Nana's life. They were careful, of course, never around when Iemitsu or one of his dogs were around, but around the boy enough to make him very comfortable with them.

Not that he wasn't already.

"Ara, Bermuda-san? You must stop knocking though. I've told you before to just walk in. Anyway, you can go straight upstairs. Tsuna went straight to his room after school. He must have been tired."

Bermuda knew that wasn't the case. It had been hard pressed for him and his men to stay away when their boy was being tormented. But they could not appear for such things. They could not bring suspicion to them or Tsunayoshi.

But rage still boiled in Bermuda's gut when he entered Tsuna's room, his human form half melted as his Vindice cloaks and chains took over from his suit, as he watched Tsuna curled up on his bed, scratched up with bruises and blood splattering his skin.

" **Oh, Child. Why did you not fight back?"** Bermuda was suddenly around Tsuna, soothing the child in his chest. He could feel the other Vindice readying themselves to appear, though a few were busy and could not.

"I-I tried. B-But they were stronger." Tsuna, who was almost eight now, clung to Bermuda as a lifeline. "T-They k-kept saying that my fa-family was weird!" Tsuna sobbed.

Bermuda knew one of Tsuna's weaknesses was his family. He would sooner stop fighting to defend his family against words than physically fight his attackers. Which explained why Tsuna was so covered in wounds and so emotionally unstable.

Bermuda and Jaeger made sure Tsuna could defend himself, even just a little, but now Bermuda wanted to search for blood.

" **We have told you, my child,"** Bermuda explained with a coo, **"That you are not exactly normal. But what did these vile children say to hurt you so. I will right it."**

"They were saying that I was...was a bastard because my Otou is never home. That I don't have an Otou." Tsuna sobbed.

" **Oh, Child."** Jaeger appeared at that point, decked out in his prison uniform, his top hat and bandages slowly fading away so he was half-way between his human and Vindice form as Bermuda was. **"You know how vile those children are. We have told you not to heed them."** But Tsuna wasn't stupid. He could hear the rage in both the mafia prison workers' voices as they spoke **.**

"B-But." Tsuna was quaking. Bermuda rubbed circles on Tsuna's back to soothe him. "But I have Chichi! I don't need Iemitsu! Why did he have to be my Otou? Why does he always have to be gone? Chichi is always here! Ie-Iemitsu isn't!" Tsuna's words dissolved into sobs that made no sense to either Vindicare officer, and so they could only rub Tsuna's back and offer words of comfort until he began sniffling.

" **Who is Chichi, Child? I did not know you had another father."** Jaeger hummed. It would not be a shock if Nana had another partner. She wouldn't be the first Mafia wife to do so. She wasn't breaking a law, luckily, or else Bermuda would act without regret to protect his boy.

Tsuna muttered something and Bermuda had to ask him to repeat. "C-Chichi is you, Bermuda." He sounded ashamed, as if he hadn't meant to admit it. "C-Chichi and J-Jaeger-jii are always here with me. Otou isn't. B-But Otou is my family…and Chichi and Jaeger-jii are too."

Tsuna sounded so conflicted, but it did not even compare to the emotions tumbling and forming in Jaeger and Bermuda. They watched the boy sob and they listened to his confession with open ears, but their hearts were imploding.

No one had called them their family, and something in Bermuda and Jaeger burst to be called so familiarly by the child. They had tried to keep a distance from him. They wanted him to grow strong and independent, but they were falling for his affections. They were becoming dependant on his smiles and on his trust.

Now, they knew there was no coming back.

Bermuda swallowed thickly before picking Tsuna up and making the child face him. Then, as a soft smile lifted his lips and lightened his eyes, he dropped a kiss onto Tsuna's forehead. It was chilled with his night flames, but Tsuna found comfort in the familiar feeling.

" **Child, I am honoured you think of me so highly. I promise in return to never leave you, and to protect you wherever I can afford to, so long as you still want me with you."**

"I don't w-want Chichi to leave." Tsuna admitted, still sniffling, "I don't want Jaeger-jii or the other jii-chans to leave either. But you have work." Tsuna had clutched Bermuda's neck and Jaeger's cloaks during his fit of sobs, and neither man would ever be able to explain the sheer ferocity they felt in themselves to protect that trust and relationship.

" **You are too compassionate, Child."** Jaeger admitted, though he ran a hand through Tsuna's hair. **"But that is why we are drawn to you."**

" **We must leave from time to time. But, I promise to always tell you the truth, and to make you strong."** Bermuda promised, holding Tsuna so he could see his eyes. **"Do you want to be strong, child of mine?"**

"I want to protect you." Tsuna admitted with determined eyes that flashed with the flame Bermuda knew was sealed away. "I want to always protect my family."

But not for long.

" **Then Jaeger and I have many things to tell you."** Bermuda wanted to wait until the boy had aged to explain their dark world to him, but it seemed like fate would not allow that.

"Like what, Chichi?"

" **About your father, and the horrible darkness he brings close to you with his work."**

"What has he done?" And that was where Tsuna's intuition came in. He didn't ask what darkness, or what Bermuda meant –he _knew_ – instead, he asked what he did, as if he could fix it.

" **Your father is in the mafia man. He kills for a living and sends men out to do his killing. He helps lead the biggest famiglia in all of Italy, and he's the reason men are after you all the time."** Bermuda explained slowly. **"He has killed, and will kill again. He will use you one day, as an heir to the famiglia. I imagine that he is biding his time until you are old enough to train before he does that."**

Tsuna paused, digesting this information that he didn't totally understand, but he knew that it was the truth. Not only did his Chichi loathe lies, but the heat in his chest wasn't flaring the same way it did when people lied or tried to trick him.

"Is that why Otou is always gone? Because he's in the mafia?"

Here, Bermuda was at a cross-road, because there were a few truths he could tell the boy, and none of them would protect his feelings in any way. **"He stays away in the hopes it will protect you from his enemies, but in reality, it makes you an open target."**

"He can stay there then." Tsuna explained resolutely. His eyes narrowed and his brow creased. "He can stay with his mafia. I have Chichi. I don't need Iemitsu. He only comes home and leaves, and those scary men come after me."

Jaeger would feel his boss' joy and fear in the next instant before it was all tucked away. Jaeger understood why, of course. **"Child of ours** ," He saw the shiver go through the boy, it was a good shiver, of course, one that those possessed by someone strong felt when the promise of their protection was announced, **"We too are of the Mafia. We are the most vulgar of sorts."**

There was no flash. This was no lie. Tsuna grew worried as the heat didn't flare in his chest. He didn't believe it. "No! No! You can't be. You don't leave. You're always here! I don't believe you!"

Bermuda hushed his boy, wrapping him in his cloaks in a way he had done with no one before. **"Child, we are. We are Vindice, and you are the only one who thinks we are not vile."**

"But you're not! You protect me, you always protect me, and you take bad men away." Tsuna was sure, because he knew that they did. He had seen them do it with other men too. They couldn't be bad. He knew they couldn't be all bad. "You're like police! They aren't _always_ bad."

Jaeger and Bermuda were stunned. They had seen Tsuna's mind working, but never did they think that he would come to the conclusion that he did.

" **You are right, in a sense, Tsunayoshi."** Bermuda explained, running a hand through Tsuna's hair. **"We keep up the rules of the mafia, and in return, are hated above all else. Every boss hates us above all enemies, and every subordinate has nightmares about our arrival. That is our payment for keeping order."**

" **You'd do well to remember that, boy."** Jaeger hissed in his crackly voice. **"We are not liked. We are the vilest of the mafia men, viler than your father and viler than his boss."**

"I don't care what they think!" Tsuna demanded, getting upset as he felt no burn in his chest. His Chichi and Ojii were telling the truth, one he didn't want to believe. " _I_ know you are not vile men. _I_ know you are brave and kind and _care!"_

Bermuda and Jaeger did not know what to think. They felt the thrum of what could only be explained as love in the connection with the other Vindice who waited in the wings and had heard the declaration.

None of them could do anything but love Tsunayoshi, his quirks and his outright care for them.

" **Child, you are an oddity."**

"But I'm your oddity." Tsuna sniffled, clinging to his Chichi. Silence settled between the three as the sounds of Nana moving about downstairs drifted up. Tsuna shifted and asked of his family the worst thing. "I want to see your home one day, Chichi. May I?"

Bermuda immediately wanted to say no, to deny the child everything he had asked for with strict and ruthless words. But he could not.

" **Not now, child of mine. But perhaps when you are older and can understand."**

Jaeger wasn't sure what to think of that, because he too, looking at the child, never wanted him to see any further into the mafia than the men who tried to catch him, and the officers who held him close. He wanted the child to have a happy childhood, yet still he craved the acceptance that Tsuna would surely give them at the time that he finally did see the Vindice prison.

* * *

Tsuna was almost ten when Bermuda and Jaeger finally allowed him to come with them to Vindice. Bermuda and Jaeger wove a tale about taking Tsuna on a trip to their offices and Nana had been more than happy to give Tsuna over for the day.

He was terrified, but his Chichi and Ojii assured him that he was ready, even though they didn't want him seeing it.

They did not blindfold him or cuff him so that he was unaware as they travelled through the black portals. Their boy was no criminal. If the worse were to happen and he reacted badly, Bermuda had one of his men prepared to wipe the child's memories.

He would never touch his child in that way. Ever. Regardless of the boy's distress. He couldn't wipe the memories of himself from his boy's mind.

Tsuna was scared of the black portal. He didn't know why, but he found out as Bermuda and Jaeger led him though.

It was as if all his flames, his intuition and his _voice_ were suddenly gone. As if they'd fallen silent. His head felt heavy and his chest felt tight. Bermuda had to pick him up and hold him when the hyperventilating started, and when they finally made it to the prison. Tsuna was a mess.

But nothing in the prison would be able to scare him as much as that portal had.

" **I am sorry, Child. I should have warned you."** Bermuda soothed, and once Tsuna nodded, he put the child on his feet and gestured towards the prison. Tsuna followed, a hand in Bermuda's with Jaeger behind them.

After Tsuna calmed and was walking through the halls on his own, Bermuda began showing him their home. He started with the living quarters. It amused Bermuda every time he entered the living quarters that he and his men shared that he could tell which Vindice were the youngest and newest to the life just by looking around. The newest members walked around in their human form. Outside of what Tsuna called 'uniform,' they wore ranges of clothes, from casual t-shirts to suits like Jaeger and Bermuda, which were most comfortable.

The only thing telling them apart from Tsuna was the unnatural paleness to their skin and the bandages that covered their hands, and other visible flesh.

Tsuna was amazed by the area. It was all dark tones of grey or brown, with a ceiling painted with a stark white, but it looked like every other living room. There were shelves of books, and electronics. There were games and a TV and stereos and on the other side was a kitchen.

" **My men cannot always be officers, Child. Here were are but a famiglia, like yours and like Vongola."**

Many greeted Tsuna warmly, and he was introduced to many men. Some picked him up and spun him around, some ruffled his hair and others glared. But not a single one could say that they did not appreciate a child's presence in their manor. After all, they gave up children when they became Vindice grunts. Not necessarily their right to have them, but their opportunity. Tsuna was surprised to realise that not a single woman roamed the halls.

The dining room was big and bright. The table was a dark wood, and the floor was even darker. It was polished to the extent that Tsuna could see his own reflection in it. The walls weren't white nor were they off-white, they were more of a beige or tan.

"Do you all eat here?"

" **My guardians and I do most nights, but my men work all over the world and we never really stop. We cannot eat together often."** That comment made Tsuna wonder how large the Vindice were. Because Bermuda had six guardians, and that was already a lot, but the table looked like it could fit the world around it.

Bermuda skipped the rooms, seeing as Tsuna would not be staying the evening and instead made his way towards the other areas of the mansion, training rooms, kitchens and such.

Except, of course, nothing was so easy.

As the small group was passing through the mild-offenders section, chaos ensued. This was Bermuda's favourite section of the prison. Here, no one was shackled. Here inmates walked around calmly, filling their sentences and learning to assimilate into the mass public. Many times there men/women/children were the warriors of famiglias who needed them to go into hiding for a while. Having a short sentence with Vindice did just that.

Usually it was calm here. No one tried anything, no one overstepped their place. If they did, they could no longer have their freedom…

Which was why some sick pleasure came over Bermuda when some idiot decided it was a good idea to snatch Tsuna from him.

"Release me." he hissed, a shiv pressed against Tsuna's throat.

Hissing and rattles filled the air as multiple officers appeared from the shadows. Apparently Bermuda wasn't the only one looking forward to punishing this man.

Tsuna started shaking, tears welling in his eyes. The man smelt _wrong_. He smelt dangerous and was shaking behind Tsuna. He didn't dare look at the man. He didn't dare move. Tsuna knew that he was in trouble.

He had liked their walk, even the bad men had been kind enough to wave, or else just avoided Tsuna altogether. It was bright, and Tsuna couldn't understand _why_ anyone could hate his Chichi when his prisoners lived better than most people did.

Tsuna just agreed that the mafia was weird. Except now he knew that these men weren't nice. The mafia was weird, and they were scary.

But Tsuna trusted Bermuda and Jaeger, SO instead he just watched his Chichi and Oji and waited.

He wasn't left waiting long.

" **Come now, child of ours."** Bermuda quickly had Tsuna in his arms, soothing away the shaking and tears when the child vented.

He put Tsuna down quickly though, ushering him away from the screaming as his men dealt with the prisoner. It surprised Bermuda how fast children grew. Soon enough (and rightly even now) he wouldn't be able to pick Tsuna up to comfort him. Soon it would be standing hugs and gentle caresses to soothe his boy. It startled Bermuda, and made him feel a glimmer of regret.

Perhaps he should have waited to take up the black flame. Perhaps he should have sired his own brood before conforming to his duty.

Tsuna had been subdued since the attack, and while Bermuda longed to wipe the memory from the boy, he knew it was a good lesson. So instead the Vindice officer just held Tsuna's hand tightly, reassuring Tsuna that he was safe, and reassuring himself that Tsuna was there.

He didn't even comment when Tsuna tucked himself into Bermuda's cloak.

He would allow Tsuna this comfort after the ordeal.

"Chichi, what's down there?" Tsuna asked as they strode past a long, dark pitched hallway on their way towards the offices. Bermuda wanted to take the prison scene as far away from Tsuna's mind as possible.

" **You are not permitted to go there yet, child."** Bermuda explained with a tone more serious than he had ever used.

Tsuna nodded, but the heat in his chest and his _voice_ was telling him to go, telling him that his _Will_ needed to see what was there.

It wasn't easy, but while Bermuda had to stop and do paperwork, with a quick 'please don't wander off, child of ours.' from Jaeger, Tsuna managed to escape from his carers. It was terrifying, because Tsuna didn't like disobeying his Chichi. But this was different, the heat and _voice_ never steered Tsuna wrong and he couldn't ignore it.

So, when he was almost caught, he listened to it and it told him where and how to hide.

When he reached the hall, he found that it was lined with doors and the _voice_ told him which to enter.

It was dark when he entered, but sensing his presence, the room suddenly lit up in a light that fed off of the flames in the room, so rather than being an eerie black, the room was lit with orange lights. But it didn't make it any less terrifying or disgusting.

Tanks lined the walls, and beside them were other doors. The tanks were floor to ceiling and were filled with black shapes and tubing and chains. Something inside Tsuna clicked when he saw the tanks, the same something that told him how to answer Bermuda when they first met and he was only a toddler.

A cold heat flooded him and the voice was silenced. But not like within the black portal, this was chosen silence. It could not direct Tsuna now. He had to make his own decisions.

Tsuna walked towards one of the tanks, his eyes glassy as he saw past his reflection in the polished surface.

A girl was in the water, eyes closed and sleeping, there was a mask on her face and tubes in her arms. Her hands and feet were chained. The only difference between himself and the girl was the thick, black shapes coating her skin. They were blotchy in places, and in others was a definite target formed in the pigment. The shapes ran all through her body, on her bare legs and arms, and on the parts of her face that Tsuna could see.

Otherwise, she was just a normal child.

" **Child, you trespass."** a voice boomed behind Tsuna, but neither the voice nor the killing intent shook him from the place. He was _clicked_ into where the voice was silent.

"I cannot trespass in a place I am home." It wasn't really Tsuna's voice. He was almost hearing it in the third person, and he was allowing the silent _voice_ to speak for him while he watched the girl.

" **You arrogant child, I should put you in one of these vats and let you stew on your thoughts for such insolence!"**

The man charged forward, but Tsuna was not scared. He knew his Chichi would never let him fall to harm, and he didn't, because Bermuda appeared and Jaeger had the man subdued.

" **You will learn your place. My child has disobeyed, but you have no right to punish him in my stead."**

" **You've gone soft!"** the Vindice seethed with an echoing rattle, **"He should be hung and drawn, the vile Vongola blood in him makes you weak and defiles our manor."**

" **His Vongola blood will save our manor."** Bermuda hissed as Jaeger wrestled the man out. **"Be sure he sees no more life in our world. He has over stepped his place too many times now."**

" **My pleasure, Boss."**

Bermurda turned to Tsuna, eyes cold as he watched the boy. He waited for Jaeger to return to deal with the child, but right now, he needed to observe this strange in between that Tsuna was in for he stood on the waypoint of his normal intuition, Dying will, and the fabled Hyper Dying Will.

Tsuna stared at the tanks, and a burn rushed through his gut as he watched the girl who was no older than perhaps himself. His Chichi and Ojii stood back, furious at themselves for letting him get away. These were not their 'criminal tanks' as such. These were protective basins where simply arresting these children would not do. They kept them safe and alive, where they might have succumbed to the injuries and diseases that they were riddled with upon containment.

It was a poor excuse for a life, but the Vindice had motions in place to cure and rehabilitate the children one day if possible.

Tsuna wasn't old enough to see this, yet he stood before the child, a year older than himself, with eyes burning an orange so bold that it could have been blinding if not swirling around his irises.

" **Child of ours, we warned you that this level was forbidden to you for now."** Jaeger warned, his hissed voice sounding all the more dangerous in this place. Tsuna could understand why the criminals of the mafia feared them so. But that _was_ the point.

Bermuda did not speak for a moment as he watched Tsuna. He wasn't crying yet, he wasn't screaming. Their child was just watching the tank. **"We've never hidden this from you, child of ours. We've made it clear that we are not kind creatures. We follow our laws for the sake of the Mafia, even if we are hated and are dead and gone in the dreams of the masses."** Bermuda explained. **"We have hidden none of this from you, but we didn't want you seeing this until you were older and could understand."**

Tsuna was quiet and Bermuda feared, in a way that resonated through Vindice, that they would have to wipe his memories, of all of this, and perhaps even of Vindice itself. Bermuda's selfish –remnant– heart hated to think of that. He did not want his child to think him a memory –or a nightmare.

But then the boy turned around, with tears and a soft smile that made Jaeger and the other Vindice feel the need to go out for blood every time they saw it.

"I'm sorry, Chichi, for disobeying you. But the _voice_ said I should see this if I want to make my _Will_ strong. I don't know why. But I had to follow it." Tsuna looked like he wanted to cry, but he didn't. "I understand why you do this, but I don't agree. There could have been other ways, ways that mean the others won't misunderstand. You're trying to help."

Tsuna's brow crumpled at the end. He could understand the mafia now, and he understood that the mafia took things to the extreme and it usually meant disgusting, brutal, and terrifying actions. But Tsuna also saw a child in there. He saw someone without a famiglia, someone waiting for a mistake to be righted. Surely there was some other way?

" **Tsunayoshi, why do you not fear this, as your Mafia brethren would?"** Bermuda's voice had taken that rumbled justice as it did when he became annoyed, **"This could very well be you in the future should you break your laws or the laws set before you. You will be a mafia boss, after all."**

They were preparing him for it, teaching him about Vongola and the parts of Giotto that Vongola would have never known. They were giving Tsuna everything they could before he was taken to be groomed. They would have to decide at that time whether to withdraw from his side, or keep him closer.

Bermuda already decided really.

"Because you're my famiglia and this is your way. I don't like it, I wouldn't do it. But you're _**my**_ family. Chichi, I want to understand, I could never be afraid of you."

" **Oh child."** Bermuda drifted forward and ran a hand through Tsuna's hair before he wiped the boy's face with his cloak. He didn't know whether he should be terrified or wonder about the way Tsuna leant into his affection and the way Bermuda's body craved the attention of a child. He was very young when he gave his soul over to the black flame, after all. **"Your Will is too strong for your body, I fear it will burn you up without direction."**

"What is Will, Chichi?" Tsuna blinked, red-eyed and suddenly tired. He wanted to go back to the upper levels where there was light and the prisoners walked around semi-freely.

Bermuda mused. _What_ is _Will?_

" **I will teach you, child of mine. But first I must give you something."**

" **Boss!"** Jaeger knew what was happening, but he had not thought it would happen so soon. It was quite the burden for a child so young and full of the most cripplingly harmonizing Sky flame.

" **Do you disagree?"**

" **No, but his body, our child will burn himself out."** Jaeger insisted, dread pooling in him. **"You saw him. Even his waypoint threatens to drag him under. To give him such power will surely destroy him."**

" **Then we will have to keep watch of him."** Bermuda replied in kind, eyes flashing and flames bucking. And Jaeger knew, with that declaration, that Bermuda had given all the Vindice permission to protect the boy from the power he was about to give him.

"Chichi?"

" **I am giving you proof, child. Give me your hand."** Bermuda took Tsuna's left hand into his, one underneath and one on top.

"Proof?"

" **Yes, proof of our bonds."**

After a rush of darkness, that felt so much more terrifying than anything that came off of Jaeger or Bermuda, surrounded the pair, a rush of warmth followed. Bermuda pulled his hand away from Tsuna's and the boy blinked down at the thin, solid black ring on his pinkie. It felt cold against his skin, like a stone. That's what Tsuna was sure it was.

"Chichi?"

" **This, Child, is a sign."** Bermuda explained sadly, **"It marks you as one of us, and is not to be taken lightly. All of my famiglia has one of their own and now this is yours, but it is different."**

" **It tells everyone that you are not a grunt, but a second only to Bermuda's guardians. Should you ever need us, or need to show our men proof of your position in our famiglia, you will use it."** Jaeger finished for his boss, and the boy's eyes were wide on his face.

Tsuna felt the heat in his chest buck in surprise as he glanced down at the ring. It glinted prettily, but there was a problem. "How do I use it?"

Bermuda held his hand up to show his own ring. It was much more ornate than Tsuna's and on his right middle finger. Suddenly, a black flame lit on it so brilliant and large that it almost took over his entire hand.

" **My child, you will light your flame. Now we will teach you how."**

Bermuda promised himself when he first accepted Tsunayoshi as a part of himself and his future, not to get involved with his training beyond making sure he would be able to keep himself alive. Bermuda did not want to interfere with the fate that had brought Tsunayoshi to his attention.

But now he knew that he was in too deep, and had let the child get a hold of what was left of his heart.

So be it. He knew that the other Vindice didn't want to argue. They felt the pull that the Sky flame's harmony gave out.

So be it.

Bermuda had promised himself, but now he promised himself something different.

He would personally ensure that Tsuna was prepared, for Vongola, for his Wars, to protect himself, and to protect the famiglia that Bermuda knew he would have.

After all, if Tsunayoshi already had the Vindice rooting for him and wanting him to grow stronger, the rest of the mafia had _no_ chance.

* * *

Reborn expected a few things as he stood outside the Sawada residence. He was sent by Nono and Iemitsu to train the newest and last remaining known heir. He expected a naive Nana, the wife of the Young Lion, who would dote upon anyone who stayed in her company, and who degraded her son not out of spite, but because she didn't realise. Reborn expected a young, malleable boy of fifteen who may screech at him when he was scared and had just below average grades, but not below average intelligence.

Reborn had already put his flier in place, and like he thought, Nana phoned him not two hours later, her voice like a butterfly wing as she welcomed him into her home. When he started his price –room and board– she had been delighted. When he explained that Iemitsu had recommended him to come, she didn't even blink and babbled about how exciting it was that he knew Iemitsu.

Check one –Iemitsu was right about how painfully naïve his wife was.

But when he arrived and Tsuna let him in, he wasn't met with screeches. Instead, the boy froze for a second before calling to his Mom.

"Are we expecting someone, Kaa-san?"

"Oh yes, a tutor for you!"

Tsuna's face fell and he ran a hand through his hair. Well, that explained the boy's fluffy mass of brown. He ran his hand through his hair a lot to get it to stay like that.

"Come in….?"

"Reborn. I'll be your new tutor."

Tsuna eyes Reborn up and down. The hitman had to admit, he was impressed. No screeching yet.

Cross one –Iemitsu did not know his son.

"Kaa-san! Why didn't you tell me you didn't like my grades? I could have found a tutor!"

"But your Otou recommended him," Nana's voice was happy and light, her face flushed just slightly at the thought of her husband.

"Otou would not know literature from lunch time! He spends all his time in Europe. How would he know that I A) need a tutor anyway, or B) what subjects I need a tutor in? Can you believe Otou on this?"

Cross two –Iemitsu indeed didn't know literature from lunch time.

Reborn wasn't shocked into stillness because of Tsuna's apparent backbone –one that Iemitsu denied vehemently. Reborn was shocked into stillness because Tsuna had pinpointed where Iemitsu was working. Iemitsu said he never mentioned where he worked.

But apparently, Nana was fixing that. "Oh, Tsu-kun, Otou calls you all the time, and if you're not here, I talk to him. So, of course, he knows what you need. But you silly boy, he hasn't been working in Europe since you were a baby. He's in Mexico now."

Tsuna looked so put out. His eyes flickered from Reborn to his mother before he sighed and took his seat, generally offering one of the free ones to Reborn. "Whatever you want, Kaa-san. It's your money."

"Oh, no money, Tsu-kun," Nana smiled, "Reborn-san only needs room and board."

"What?!"

Ah, there was the screeching. Tick two for Iemitsu.

"You're not serious."

Then Reborn acted, he had enough of this and time was money. He was quick to kick Tsuna in the head, but noticed the tension in the boy's shoulders. He knew the kick was coming, he just wasn't fast enough.

That was interesting.

"I'll be taking Tsuna to his room now." the hitman explained, pulling Tsuna by the collar up the stairs and into his room. If Reborn noticed Tsuna's shock, he didn't mention it. He wasn't about to jinx the boy who hadn't even asked why a baby wanted to tutor a boy twice his age.

"Oh wonderful, I'll just go run some errands then." were Nana's sweet words that followed him up the stairs.

Tsuna, once seated in his room and adjusting his collar back into a neat line, watched Reborn with a curious if not angry eye, "What did Iemitsu send you for then? Surely not to actually tutor me. He hasn't cared about my grades since I was six."

Well, at least the boy wasn't beating around the bush. After ten years with Dino, Reborn had had enough word games and trying conversation for two life times.

Since the boy wasn't playing, Reborn wouldn't either, and with a scoff, he flicked his fedora up and let his chameleon transform in his hand before speaking.

"I have been sent by Iemitsu to train you to become Vongola Decimo."

Reborn wasn't expecting silence. He was expecting screaming denial and screeched fear. Instead, the boy's eyes widened in horror and any arguments he was going to voice out died in his throat. Iemitsu seemed to have been wrong about Tsuna's intelligence, at least a little. To think that the boy would screech like he were a baby.

Reborn was too distracted by the boy's strange horror to notice the way his hand sparked with muted Sky Flames. He would assault himself later when he realised that he had missed the ring upon the boy's left hand, or else perhaps Reborn could have prepared himself for the shock of his life when the dark aura poured into the room.

" **You will back off, Arcobaleno, if you know what is good for you."** Jaeger appeared out of the air, having felt his child's distress. Having seen the Arcobaleno, an indescribable amount of anger had raged in the Vindicare's core; his child was being threatened by someone whose hate would influence his actions.

Reborn jumped back as soon as he felt the shift in the air. It was a testament to how quickly it happened so quickly that he hadn't been able to grab Tsuna and defend him from the choking, suppressive energy that the Vindicare created upon arrival. With his guns out, Reborn swung his vision to Tsuna, trying to ascertain his charge's safety.

Tsuna was still sitting wide-eyed and scared on his bed, face impassive, but eyes revealed the sheer surprise and fear he felt. Reborn gritted his teeth, thankful, not for the first time, that Nana wasn't home. He was surprised to find, however, that Tsuna's fearful eyes weren't on the cloaked man that had appeared, but on Reborn himself. The worried surprise, Reborn would realise, was directed at the cloaked man instead.

"Back away from my charge, Vindicare. He isn't even aware of his lineage yet. No laws are broken here." Reborn quaked with anger, wanting the dogs of the mafia away from the boy. Reborn was a hitman, but a mafia-boss-to-be or not, Tsuna was currently an innocent and the Vindicare were dangerous. Reborn had his morals.

Suddenly, a more dense energy filled Tsuna's room. It was suffocating and prideful. Reborn recognised it immediately, and as his eyes caught sight of Tsuna, he noticed the portal forming directly behind him, but his cries didn't even manage to make it past his lips before the man behind the energy emerged, a hand already on Tsuna's shoulder.

" **You heard my man, Reborn. Back away and leave or we will find a reason for your incarceration."**

Choosing to ignore the most powerful man in the mafia, the man who held every puppet string attached to him, Reborn stared Tsuna in the face and ground out his next sentence, ignoring the fact that Tsuna's face had lost its scared surprise and was slowly folding into something comfortable and assured. "You may not trust me yet, Tsunayoshi, but you need to get away from him. Right. Now."

The boy ignored him, however, and the brunet's next words would shock Reborn into a painful, grinding silence.

"Chichi, what's wrong? Why are you and Jaeger-jii in your uniform? What's happening?" Tsuna's voice was pitched with unease, but not at the presence of the men, but simply at a change in routine. What surprised Reborn more, and made him clench his fist was the way the fact that the child addressed both Vindicare officers with familiarity.

Reborn had made sure, before taking on this job, to be as fluent in Japanese as possible, from its culture to the smallest anecdotes of its language, so he knew exactly what Tsuna's way of address meant.

Before thinking, Reborn's gun was transformed again and an entire clip of bullets was flying towards Bermuda. With another clip change, an equal amount of bullets were flying towards Jaeger. The men jumped back, Bermuda reaching to embrace Tsuna as he did. However, Reborn's target was the boy, and in a swift movement, Reborn had him pinned to the floor uncomfortably with an arm pinned behind his back. Reborn's heel pressed in his ribs, protecting Tsuna from the Vindicare officers even as Tsuna struggled.

"What have you done to him?" Reborn hissed, pressing down on Tsuna's back with enough force to have the boy coughing. "How dare you try to convert him? What kind of 'enforcers' are you, breaking your own laws?!" Reborn's voice was full of venom. Tsuna paused to think of a way to get out, not liking the way the man was touching him. As if Tsuna were _his_ ward.

" **We have broken no laws, Vongola dog."** Jaeger hissed, not liking the way his nephew was constricted, his face paling and blueing. **"Your people broke the sanctity. We saved this child. Now release him."**

Reborn made a chuffing sound under his breath, and in an instant his gun was glowing yellow with sun flames, charging the bullets enough to wound the Vindicare. He loathed the fact that he couldn't kill them yet.

"Chichi!" Tsuna struggled more, only to feel a sudden grip on his scruff; as if he were a mere mutt.

"These monsters are not your family, Tsuna. He has lied to you."

Tsuna seethed as he felt himself being held in submission. He knew very well who his 'otou-san' was, and he knew of the taint in his own blood. Tsuna was not ignorant. He was scandalised when Reborn dared insult his father.

Suddenly there was a flare of orange and Reborn's hand tightened in response. As his airflow cut off, Tsuna's flames died down and he began a more desperate struggling as he tried to breathe through Reborn's grip.

Reborn had seen them, the purest sky flames he had ever witnessed and they were in a boy so young he might as well be a baby compared to Reborn (ironically enough). Even with the light gone, his grip still remained, frozen in shock and frustration.

All. His. Information. Was. _**Wrong**_!

Before he could do anything, Jaeger had charged with chains. Reborn barely managed to dodge, his suit sleeve being torn from the sheer force and speed of the chains. As they collided with Tsuna's wall, creating a crater large enough to fit Tsuna and his bed, Reborn realised that had if he had not moved, he would have been less than a spatter on the wall.

When his eyes finally found his ward again, he was greeted with a disturbing sight.

Tsuna was choking in Bermuda's arms, sobbing through the chokes as he tried to suck in the air he had been denied. Reborn felt a little sorry for that, his body had reacted instinctively. He hadn't meant to choke the child. Bermuda was holding Tsuna gently, in a way that made the boy completely inaccessible. The brunet was perfectly protected. Jaeger was standing just beside the pair, rubbing circles on Tsuna's back to try to give the boy a rhythm to follow to breathe again.

Reborn could see the bruise forming on the boy's throat form where his grip and shock had made him loose composure.

" **How dare you."** Bermuda seethed. **"You want to act as this child's tutor yet you are the one injuring him!"** The pressure in the leader of Vindicare's voice had Reborn struggling to keep his posture. It was a deadly, threatening tone. Bermuda Von Beilefedd actually acted for Tsuna's wellbeing.

But why?

* * *

 **So was this awful? This is another one of those stories and plots that's been bouncing around my head. I've wanted to write a family!vindicare type story for ages now. And though their all OoC I think it's an interesting concept….but as the authoress I suppose I should….  
I also realise that Bermuda's name isn't '**Beilefedd **' but I couldn't look up what is it, so if you know, I will change it. Otherwise it remains.  
Anyway, please drop a review. Thank you 3**

 **~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3**


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